Multi-tier mentoring structure · University of Alaska system
$5M Rasmuson Foundation gift · UA Board of Regents strategic priority
Tier 1 · Senior Faculty Anchor
President's Arctic Professors
One distinguished senior faculty member per UA university. Provides scholarly leadership for the entire initiative and mentors Early Career Faculty Fellows.
3professors
▾ Details + current cohort
Term
2 years, appointed by UA President
Selection
One per university: UAF, UAA, UAS
Inaugural cohort (2024-2026)
Larry Hinzman (UAF) · Jeff Libby (UAA) · Erica Hill (UAS)
Anchor ALI's Arctic research identity · provide cross-system scholarly leadership · mentor ECF Fellows · support student cohort engagement
Mentorship
Tier 2 · Early Career Faculty
Early Career Faculty Fellows
Early-career faculty across the UA system in two-year appointments. Mentored by the Arctic Professors above, they mentor student cohort members and lead Arctic-focused research with real community impact.
8fellows
▾ Details + current cohort
Term
2 years, competitive application
Selection
System-wide, all three UA universities
Incoming cohort (2026-2028)
Mariah Seater, Seoyeon Kim (UAF) · Amy Cross (UAA) · Xiaofei Song (UAS)
2nd year fellows (2025-2027)
Anna Costa, Emily Fedders (UAF) · Colin Maher (UAA) · Amy Holt (UAS)
Primary responsibilities
Advance Arctic research · mentor student cohort members · engage communities and partners · participate in cohort-based leadership development
Mentorship
Tier 3 · Student Leaders
ALI Student Cohort
Undergraduate and graduate students selected annually from across all three universities. Mentored by Fellows and Professors, they tackle real Arctic problems through coursework, field experiences, research projects, and circumpolar exchange.
25students/yr
▾ Details + activities
Term
1 academic year
Levels
Undergraduate + Graduate
Selection
Competitive, system-wide: UAF, UAA, UAS
Tuition benefit
One 3-credit ALI course waived per year
Key activities
Challenge Project teams on real Arctic problems · Arctic field schools · AES Summit presentations · circumpolar exchanges · cohort coursework with Alaska leaders
Supporting programs + awards
Arctic Engagement Awards
Competitive grants for faculty-led community partnerships, policy engagement, and research translation across Alaska.
Ambassador Travel + Residency Awards
Short-term circumpolar exchanges for faculty and students. Next rolling deadline: July 27, 2026.
Arctic Field Schools
Summer intensives connecting students to Arctic environments, field research methods, and Alaska communities.
Arctic Challenge Projects
Student teams tackle real, community-embedded Arctic problems and present findings at the Arctic Encounter Summit.